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About The Baker County press. (Baker City, Ore.) 2014-current | View Entire Issue (June 26, 2015)
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3 FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 Business & Ag BHS grad opens metal art business BY MEGHAN ANDERSCH Meghan@TheBakerCountyPress.com Talon Colton of Baker City recently launched Talon Colton Metal Art, designing and creating various types of metal artwork. He creates and offers work of his own designs and also accepts custom orders. Colton, a graduate of Baker High School, said he got interested in metalwork while a junior and senior working on the machine at the high school. He discovered a talent for the work and also got into welding and ag mechanics through FFA. After high school, Colton tried to sign up with the Marine Corps but was disqualified due to hearing loss. He graduated lineman school and then tried for enrollment in the Army with a waiver. He said despite the waiver, he was disqualified again for hearing loss and returned to Baker City and work- ing full-time on the Colton Ranch. Colton purchased his own cutting machine in April of this year and start- ed playing with designs. His main advertising has been word of mouth and he also has a Facebook site. Colton said he thought he’d just get a few jobs here and there, but there has been more interest than he had anticipated. He has done mostly signs, tabletop art, and garden stakes, but also did a ranch archway. His cutting machine has a capacity of 4x4 feet and cut-outs of words and such can be done in sizes up to those dimensions. The ranch archway was 12 feet, so Colton cut it in sections and utilized his weld- ing skills to complete the project. Though he did two or three aluminum pieces in high school, Colton usu- ally works with regular steel. He prefers to work with cold-rolled steel versus hot-rolled due to its workability and durability. Colton said the cold-rolled steel is also easier to apply some finishes to. He said painted signs don’t matter as much, but if he is ap- plying color with a torch or a finish beside paint, the cold-rolled steel comes out looking better. Colton’s design process Friday, June 19, 2015 — Eastern Oregon Prices trended generally steady compared to the same quality last week. Trade activity and demand increased a little this week, however many produc- ers were still busy in the field with the new crop. Few sales of new crop hay. Most producers are still sold out for the season. No new confirmed sales this week. USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Grain Report — Wednesday, June 24, 2015 Submitted Photo. Talon Colton Metal Art creates, among other things, designs for the home. begins when he has a pic- ture in mind. For outside projects, he tries to get folks to send a picture of what they are wanting. He can then utilize computer software to change and adjust the image until it’s right for cutting. He ap- plies color to the project with paint, torch, or chemi- cals and puts a clear coat over the top to seal. Turn-around time de- pends on the complexity of the project, and also on how busy things are on the ranch. Colton said they are getting to their busier time of year, so it may take lon- ger to complete the metal jobs. If it’s something he’s already designed, he can sometimes complete and get a project out the next day. Other items may take a week or longer. Colton’s designs can be seen at facebook.com/ Taloncoltonmetalart. He also has some pieces on consignment at loca- tions around Baker City, including Cabin Cowboy Designs, Mad Habit, and one piece at Elkhorn Em- broidery. Colton can be contacted through Facebook or via phone at 519-0463. NRAC discusses Rieber advice BY TODD ARRIOLA In early trading July wheat futures trended mixed, from 0.50 of a cent lower to 0.75 of a cent per bushel higher compared to Tuesday’s closes. Bids for US 2 Yellow Corn delivered full coast in 110 car shuttle trains trended lower compared to Tuesday’s noon bids. Bids for US 1 Yellow Soybeans delivered full coast in 110 car shuttle trains were not available in early trading. USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov — Cattle Market Report — Wednesday, June 17, 2015 Vale, Oregon Cattle sold through the auction: 361 Steer Calves 300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A 400-500# Bulk N/A Top N/A 500-600# Bulk 229.00 - 256.00 Top 268.00 Heifer Calves 300-400# Bulk N/A Top N/A 400-500# Bulk 238.00 - 257.00 Top 263.00 500-600# Bulk 224.00 - 238.00 Top 240.00 600-700# 700-800# 800-900# 900-1,000# Yearling Steers Bulk 224.00 - 253.00 Top 257.50 Bulk 213.00 - 229.00 Top 231.50 Bulk 201.00 - 212.00 Top 214.00 Bulk 178.00 - 187.00 Top 189.50 Yearling Heifers 600-700# Bulk 216.00 - 229.00 Top 231.00 700-800# Bulk 184.00 - 201.00 Top 205.00 800-900# Bulk 163.00 - 174.00 Top 176.00 900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A Todd@TheBakerCountyPress.com The Baker County Natural Resource Advi- sory Committee (NRAC) held a monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, at 3 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Courthouse. Baker County Commis- sion Chair Bill Harvey was present, along with NRAC Chair Doni Bruland, and the following committee members: Arvid Ander- sen, Jake Bingham, Kody Justus, Eileen Gyllenberg, Lyle Defrees, Craig Ward, Dick Fleming, Jan Alex- ander, Cynthia Long, Jan Kerns, George Keister, Laurene Chapman, Page Frederickson, Alice Knapp, Chuck Chase and Ken Anderson. Lane Parry and Emily Braswell were absent. Attendees included Ed Hardt, John and Ramona Creighton, Gary Dielman and Wanda Ballard. Hardt commented during the initial Public Participa- tion segment of the meet- ing that he’s been heavily emphasizing the coordina- tion process at NRAC and other meetings, and that he also did the same dur- ing his time as an NRAC member. The first topic for discus- sion on the agenda was the (in draft form) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Sage-Grouse Environ- mental Impact Statement (EIS) Protest letter, a copy of which Bruland gave to each committee member. She explained that the format of the letter would remain the same, but, it was not finalized at the time of the meeting, so suggestions about revisions from the NRAC were be- ing sought. Harvey commented that the letter, addressed to the BLM headquarters in Washington, D.C., would need to be finalized, ap- proved, and sent by Friday, June 26, in order to be received by the deadline, Monday, June 30. An — Weekly Hay Report — Thin Shelly Cows 81.00 - 93.00 Butcher Cows 95.00 - 108.00 Butcher Bulls 117.00 - 132.00 Pairs BM N/A Younger Hfrts. 121.00 - 139.00 Young Pairs - N/A ProducersLivestock.com 541-473-3136 Todd Arriola / The Baker County Press. The recently expanded NRAC met this week at the Courthouse. electronic version would also be sent via email on Friday, June 26. Kerns had copies of highlights from House Resolution (HR) 2647, The Resilient National Forest Act of 2015, and discussed that topic with the commit- tee. These and other points were made in the Baker County Board of Commis- sioners’ letter of support for HR 2647, addressed to Congressman Walden, who introduced the bill. The Commissioners ap- proved the letter during the Wednesday, June 24, 2015 session at the County Courthouse. Defrees moved that the NRAC give full sup- port for HR 2647, with a second from Long. Justus responded immediately that he thinks there is a conflict with spending the time to draft and send the letter, because the County already has the authority to handle its own natural resource issues. He said a recommenda- tion from the NRAC isn’t needed, because the legis- lation wouldn’t be imple- mented any more than regulations, ordinances, etc. that are already avail- able locally to the County. He said that too much NRAC time has been spent on the subject, and he isn’t interested in supporting the letter and legislation. He emphasized focus on the County handling its own issues, and the Baker County Natural Resource Plan (BCNRP), copies of which each member had. Harvey discussed the is- sue with Justus, and Chase commented that the NRAC should support the legisla- tion. The committee voted to support the letter and legislation, with Justus as the one member opposed. The committee discussed consultant Andy Rieber’s letter to the County Com- missioners, in which she explained her recommend- ed revisions to the BC- NRP. Copies of this were available to the NRAC members. She said she thought that the BCNRP, as she received it, was a “…well- written, well thought out plan, and its authors should be proud of their work…” She went on to point out two primary weak- nesses, however. Rieber said that the plan combined County require- ments on Federal and State lands with very broad, cross-jurisdictional natural resource philosophies, con- trasted with most County plans, which are designed solely with the purpose of addressing needs on Federal and State lands, for the purpose of engag- ing in coordination and as cooperating agencies. This makes it easy for Federal agencies to overlook parts that pertain to them, she said, and directness and clarity are needed as much as possible. The second weakness, she said, is that it substan- tially lacked the primary tool necessary for coor- dination with Federal agen- cies—policies. She said that the BCNRP stated policies in terms of “goals” and “objectives.” In order for a goal or objective not to be potentially ignored by an agency, Rieber said, it’s important to clarify exactly what the County’s approach will be to the agencies, and she suggest- ed terms and structure that would make the BCNRP more consistent, and spell out in firmer language demands or expectations of agencies. Rieber billed 42 hours and $4,200. The NRAC members discussed revisions to the BCNRP for a little over 20 minutes in their respective sub-committee groups, after which Harvey em- phasized the need to have suggested changes to the protest letter in as soon as possible. Bruland stated that suggested changes to the BCNRP should be in by July 14, and they can be discussed further at the next regular NRAC meet- ing, scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, at 3 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of the Baker County Court- house. — Log Price Report — Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf White fir is $365.00/mbf Ponderosa Pine is brought sold on diameter splits 6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF 12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF 18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF 24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF DIB is diameter inside bark at small end of log. MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale. People interested in selling logs should call and get specific quotes from saw mills. Courtesy of Arvid Andersen, Andersen Forestry Consulting — Precious Metals Report — Price per ounce, USD Gold: $1176.70 Silver: $15.86 Platinum: $1,074.45 Palladium: $695.50 Bloomberg.com — Ag Commodities — Corn: $372.00/bu/USD Wheat: $526.50/bu/USD Soybeans: $959.75/bu/USD Oats: $269.00 bu/USD Rough Rice: $10.20/cwt/USD Canola: $519.20 CAD/mwt Live Cattle: $150.33/lb./USD Feeder Cattle: $223.70/lb./USD Lean Hogs: $74.20/lb./USD Bloomberg.com
